Seven Tasty Salad Recipes That Need To Be In Your Life

Put the tuna down, back away from the four leaf mix and don’t even think about reaching for that punnet of cherry tomatoes. We’ve enlisted the expertise of food guru and nutritionist Jacqueline Alwill to bestow us with seven inventive salad recipes to add to your rotation now that Spring is here – one for each day of the week.

Mix and match, serve as a side or as a meal in itself; these salads are as versatile as they are nutritious. And they’re worth changing up your usual lunchtime routine.

Method

Serves 4 – GF : DF : SF : V

Place the onion in a small container of water and soak for 30 minutes to take the bitter onion flavour away, then drain.

To cook the buckwheat, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the rinsed buckwheat, place the lid on and bring back to the boil (this will take approximately 2 minutes), then cook for 12–15 minutes. This is a boiling rather than absorption

method of cooking the buckwheat, so ensure you have plenty of water in your pan. Once cooked, drain the buckwheat and set aside.

Drain and rinse the onion, then combine with the buckwheat, capsicum, parsley, walnuts, currants, olive oil and lemon juice in a bowl, and toss together. Season with salt and pepper, then lightly toss through the beetroot and serve.

Method

Preheat oven to 180C and line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Arrange pumpkin pieces over the tray, drizzle with oil then bake in oven for 45-50minutes.

Cook quinoa whilst pumpkin is baking by placing quinoa, turmeric, celery and 1 cup water in a small saucepan, cover and place on medium to high heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook 10 minutes, uncovered, or until tails of quinoa show. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, cover with lid and set aside.

Once pumpkin is cooked, arrange on large serving platter and top with quinoa, kale, coriander and mint leaves, Spanish onion and pepitas.

Season with sea salt and black pepper, drizzle with dressing and serve.

Method

Warm a large frypan or skillet on high heat and melt oil. Add asparagus spears and cook 5 minutes, tossing occasionally to ensure an even colour.

While asparagus are cooking, in a small bowl mix together natural yoghurt, Dijon mustard and sea salt.

Remove asparagus from pan and place on plate, then gently drizzle the Dijon yoghurt across the asparagus. Top with hazelnuts and chervil (or herbs of choice) and serve with a good grind of black pepper.

Method

Serves 2 as a main – GF : DF : SF

Bring a medium sized saucepan of water to the boil, add chicken, turn off the heat, cover and set aside to poach chicken for 20 minutes. Once poached, drain, cover to rest 10 minutes, then slice thinly for the salad.

Combine torn kale leaves, lemon juice and olive oil in a large bowl and massage oil and lemon juice into the leaves.

Method

Serves 4 as a substantial salad main – GF : DF : SF : V

Preheat oven to 200C and line a baking tray with paper. Wrap beetroot in foil and place in oven for 45 minutes.

While beetroot is cooking place kale leaves in a large bowl, pour over lemon juice and sprinkle with salt, then using clean hands massage the lemon juice into the kale for approximately 5 minutes. Set aside while vegetables are cooking.

Arrange capsicum and sweet potato on baking tray, drizzle with coconut oil then place in oven. Keep the beetroot in the oven at this time too. Cook all vegetables for 20 minutes, then remove from oven and allow to cool approximately 10 minutes.

Peel the skin from the beetroot using your hands, trim the ends, then cut beetroot in eighths. Remove skin from capsicum pieces (optional).

Arrange kale leaves, roasted vegetables, cherry tomatoes, avocado and herbs between serving plates, sprinkle with chia and sesame seeds, finish with a drizzle of olive oil, apple cider vinegar and season with sea salt and black pepper to finish.

Method

Whisk together pesto and yoghurt in a small bowl. Place zucchini noodles in a large bowl and toss with pesto yoghurt.

Divide zucchini noodles between two serving bowls or plates, sprinkle with cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, top with avocado, season with salt and pepper and serve.

+If you prefer a dairy free option, simply add more lemon juice, a touch of apple cider vinegar and olive oil to the pesto to loosen it, then toss with zuchetti.

All images supplied.

Jacqueline Alwill is a qualified, practicing nutritionist, personal trainer, whole foods cook, founder and director of The Brown Paper Bag Nutrition. She is passionately committed to improving the health, wellbeing and happiness of all individuals.